Convertible hats



p 29, 1964 A. T. BAUMKIRCHNER 3,150,381

CONVERTIBLE HATS Filed March 5, 1962 "wean-0R AGNES T. BAUMKIRCHNER Arr-ways! Z y a United States Patent 3,150,381 CON VERTIBLE HATS Agnes T. Baumkirchner, 2996 Altamont Crescent, West Vancouver, British Coiumbia, Canada Filed Mar. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 177,373 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-198) This invention relates to hats the style or appearance of which may be changed.

Hats, and particularly ladies hats, seldom wear out, but they quickly go out of style or if one is selected to go with a dress or coat of a certain color, it usually does not match other dresses or coats. As a result of this, ladies usually have or hope to have numerous hats for different occasions and color combinations. This is expensive -to those who can afford it, and for those who cannot afford it, it means on many occasions having to do with hats that do not show off to best advantage.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a hat having decorative means which may be quickly and easily removed for cleaning, repair, replacement or change.

Another object is the provision of a hat having decorative means which may be quickly and easily changed and by means of which many different decorative effects may be attained.

Another object is the provision of a hat of such construction that anyone of numerous color or decorative effects may be rapidly attained to suit different occasions.

Another object is the provision of a convertible hat that makes it possible for a person to use her artistic ability in producing diiferent eflects without the necessity of having the training of a milliner or decorater.

A convertible hat according to the present invention includes a base of substantially tubular formation shaped to fit a head of a predetermined size. This base may be in the form of a wide band, or it may be closed at one end so that it is somewhat the same as what is commonly known in the trade as a hat form. Each hat includes a plurality of decorative tubular sleeves of selected colors and/ or shapes, and with or without ornamentation, such as beads, flowers, sequins and the like. The hat at any one time includes a decorative sleeve pulled over the base to cover the latter, said sleeve being removable from the base. The sleeve is usually closed at an outer end thereof, and constitutes a crown for the hat. The sleeve also has an inner end folded inwardly into the tubular base and bearing against the inner surface of the latter. This folded-in inner end retains the sleeve on the base and forms an inner band for the hat. Means is provided for releasably securing the folded-in inner end to the adjacent surface of the base.

As the decorative sleeve can be quickly and easily removed from the base, a person can quickly and easily change the color and/ or the decorative efiect of the hat.

Examples of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative convertible hat;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the base for this hat;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one form of decorative sleeve for the hat with part thereof broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section through the hat showing the sleeve mounted on the base;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of an alternative form of hat base; and

FIGURE 6 is a section through a hat using the base of FIGURE 5 and an alternative form of decorative sleeve designed to go with said base.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawings, 10 is a convertible hat including a substantially tubular base 11. This base is preferably fairly stilf in order to hold its shape, and it may, for example, be made of a stifi fabric of the type used in making hat forms. Base 11 may be just a fairly wide band, but in this example it has a cover 15 over its outer end 16. If desired, base 11 may taper inwardly a little from its inner end 18 to the outer end 16 thereof. The base usually is of substantially oval shape in cross section as is customary with hats. Furthermore, the base is made for a head of a predetermined size.

One or more decorative tubular sleeves 22 are provided for each base 11. The decoration of the sleeve may be the color and/or the shape thereof, and/or it may be in the form of suitable ornamentation secured to or formed in the sleeve. In other words, the sleeve may be made up of panels of different shapes or colors, and it may have ornaments thereon, such as beads, sequins, flowers, pins and the like. In the drawings, discs 24 are shown on the sleeve in order to indicate how decorations may be applied thereto.

Sleeve 22 usually has a closed outer end 26 which, when the sleeve is applied to base 11, constitutes the visual crown of the hat. Sleeve 22 is drawn over base 11, and its inner end 30 is folded inwardly into the tubular base and bears against the inner surface of the latter, as clearly shown in FIGURE 4. The folded-in end of the sleeve retains said sleeve on the base, and it forms an inner band 32 for the hat.

Suitable means is provided for releasably securing said folded-in inner end 30 ofthe sleeve to the adjacent inner surface of base 11. This may be accomplished in different ways. In the illustrated example, a tubular hem 35 is formed around the inner end 30 of the sleeve. This tubular hem forms a tunnel for an expansible ring 36. This ring is preferably formed of a flexible material, such as a stiff flexible plastic, and it has ends 38 and 39 which overlap within the tubular hem, see FIGURE 3. Ring 36 is so springy that ends 38 and 39 thereof are constantly trying to move away from each other. In other Words, the band is constantly trying to assume a straight shape instead of the circular shape it is in Within the hem. Thus, the band is constantly trying to expand so that it presses the inner end 39 of the sleeve against the adjacent surface of base 11.

When it is desired to remove sleeve 22 from base 11, it is only necessary to reach into the hat and to grasp the sleeve at hem 35 and to squeeze ring 36 into a smaller circle. This permits the inner end 30 of the sleeve to be withdrawn from the base, after which the sleeve may be easily pulled off said base.

In order to apply the sleeve to the base the above procedure is reversed. The sleeve is drawn over the base until end 26 fits over the base cover 15, and the free end of the sleeve is grasped and ring 36 squeezed into a smaller size. Then end 30 of the sleeve is folded inwardly into the base and when said end is released, band 35 reasserts itself or expands to press the end against the inner surface of the base. This firmly holds the sleeve in position on the base.

FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate a hat 42 having alternative means for releasably securing the folded-in inner end of the sleeve to the base. A suitable base 44 has an adhering tape 45 extending around the inner surface thereof preferably spaced inwardly from the inner end 46 of said base. This is a well-known type of tape, and it is such that when a mating adhering tape is pressed against it the two tapes are firmly held together, although they may be parted merely by pulling one away from the other. A suitable decorative sleeve 50 has an inner end 51 adapted to be folded into base 44, 'as shown in Fl URE 6. Said inner end is provided with an adhering tape 54 extending therearound and positioned to bear against base tape 5 when the sleeve is in its proper position on the base. When the tapes 45 and 54 are schemes, occasions or ensembles.

3 a3 pressed together, sleeve 50 is retained on base 44, and yet it may be quickly and easily released therefrom merely by pulling tapes 45 and 54 apart.

. As stated above, each hat may have one or more decorative sleeves. If ithas only one sleeve, there is still the advantage that this sleeve may be quickly and easily 'removed from the base for cleaning or repair. However, it is preferable to provide a plurality of decorative sleeves with each hat. With this idea, a lady: has a hat which may be quickly changed to suit different color In other words, the color of a hat may be changed; it may be changed to match difierent dresses, coats, shoes or handbags; and it may be made plain or decorated to suit different occasions.

What I claim as my invention is: v 1. A convertible hat comprising a base having a substantially tubular wall shaped approximately to fit a head of a predetermined size, a decorative tubular sleeve pulled over said base wall to cover said wall and removable therefrom, said sleeve having an inner end folded inwardly into the tubular base wall and against the inner surface of the latter, said folded-in inner end retaining the sleeve onithe base Wall and forming an inner band for the hat, and an expansible ring in the folded-in inner end over said base wall to cover said Wall and removable therefrom, said sleeve having an inner end folded inwardly into the tubular base wall andiagainst the inner surface of the latter, said folded-ininner end retaining the sleeve on the base wall and forming an inner band for the hat, a tubular hem around said inner endof the sleeve,

and an expansible and flexible ring in the tubular hem pressing said inner end againstth'e adjacent surface of the base wall releasably to'retain the sleeve end therea'gainst. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES v PATENTS 7 1,511,313 Arnet Oct. 14, 1924 1,656,073 Nixon Jan. 10,1928 1,714,100 Moeller May 21', 1929 1,716,537 Acocella June 11, 1929 2,181,106 Tirnm0nS et al. Nov. 21, 1939 2,969,547 1961 Dye Jan. 31, 

1. A CONVERTIBLE HAT COMPRISING A BASE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR WALL SHAPED APPROXIMATELY TO FIT A HEAD OF A PREDETERMINED SIZE, A DECORATIVE TUBULAR SLEEVE PULLED OVER SAID BASE WALL TO COVER SAID WALL AND REMOVABLE THEREFROM, SAID SLEEVE HAVING AN INNER END FOLDED INWARDLY INTO THE TUBULAR BASE WALL AND AGAINST THE INNER SURFACE OF THE LATTER, SAID FOLDED-IN INNER END RETAINING THE SLEEVE ON THE BASE WALL AND FORMING AN INNER BAND FOR THE HAT, AND AN EXPANSIBLE RING IN THE FOLDED-IN INNER END PRESSING SAID INNER END AGAINST THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE BASE WALL RELEASABLY TO RETAIN THE SLEEVE END THEREAGAINST. 